countyscore

Schools · North Carolina

Best School Counties in North Carolina 2026

Ranked by graduation rates, per-pupil spending, and educational attainment.

Top 10 — Schools in North Carolina

Score reflects schools only — not overall county quality.

1Hyde County, NC
88
2Tyrrell County, NC
85.7
3Jones County, NC
83.5
4Pamlico County, NC
80
5Orange County, NC
72.4
6Dare County, NC
67.6
7Alleghany County, NC
65.5
8Macon County, NC
64
9Yancey County, NC
63.6
10Greene County, NC
62.1

All North Carolina Counties — Schools Rankings

100 counties ranked by schools score. Overall Score shown for context.

#CountySchools ScoreOverall Score
1Hyde County, NC
88
61.1
2Tyrrell County, NC
85.7
55
3Jones County, NC
83.5
59.8
4Pamlico County, NC
80
52.6
5Orange County, NC
72.4
49.6
6Dare County, NC
67.6
51.3
7Alleghany County, NC
65.5
59
8Macon County, NC
64
56
9Yancey County, NC
63.6
68.3
10Greene County, NC
62.1
43.5
11Gates County, NC
61.8
56.2
12Scotland County, NC
60.1
37.4
13Watauga County, NC
59.8
53.9
14Madison County, NC
57.7
65.6
15Clay County, NC
56.9
56.1
16Jackson County, NC
56.2
55.5
17Currituck County, NC
55.5
56.4
18Surry County, NC
54.9
50.3
19Mitchell County, NC
54
70.9
20Buncombe County, NC
52.2
41.4
21Montgomery County, NC
50.6
46.5
22Graham County, NC
49.9
55.9
23Pender County, NC
49.8
44.9
24Polk County, NC
48.8
52.6
25Chowan County, NC
48.7
48.1
26Johnston County, NC
48
43.5
27Moore County, NC
47.9
48.6
28Henderson County, NC
47.5
48.1
29Union County, NC
45
46.2
30Perquimans County, NC
44.8
46.1
31Onslow County, NC
44.2
39.3
32Burke County, NC
43.1
41.4
33Bladen County, NC
43
39.2
34McDowell County, NC
42.3
47.8
35Chatham County, NC
42
40.7
36Beaufort County, NC
41.5
50.3
37Haywood County, NC
40.6
43.6
38Wake County, NC
40.5
53.8
39Guilford County, NC
39.6
34.6
40Northampton County, NC
38.2
45
41Vance County, NC
38
33.8
42Warren County, NC
37.9
36.9
43Rowan County, NC
37.6
39.2
44New Hanover County, NC
37.1
39.6
45Caldwell County, NC
37
45.5
46Bertie County, NC
36.7
40.7
47Hertford County, NC
35.9
39.1
48Rutherford County, NC
35.9
45.9
49Alexander County, NC
35.8
56.6
50Iredell County, NC
35.5
42.4
51Anson County, NC
35
34.8
52Stanly County, NC
34.9
45.1
53Swain County, NC
34.8
52.6
54Transylvania County, NC
34.8
56.4
55Yadkin County, NC
34.5
50.3
56Ashe County, NC
34
52.7
57Martin County, NC
34
34.3
58Columbus County, NC
33.7
40.7
59Avery County, NC
33.6
60.1
60Cleveland County, NC
33.5
42.5
61Halifax County, NC
33.4
31.6
62Durham County, NC
33.3
34.1
63Rockingham County, NC
33.3
39
64Carteret County, NC
33.1
44.1
65Catawba County, NC
33
49.3
66Cabarrus County, NC
32.6
42.2
67Forsyth County, NC
32.5
33.8
68Hoke County, NC
32.5
35.4
69Randolph County, NC
32.5
39.8
70Lincoln County, NC
32.4
45.6
71Cherokee County, NC
31.8
46.9
72Pitt County, NC
31.5
33.6
73Stokes County, NC
31.4
62.4
74Wilkes County, NC
31.1
48.9
75Camden County, NC
30.9
40.4
76Person County, NC
30.4
44.5
77Davie County, NC
30.2
43.2
78Craven County, NC
29.7
37.8
79Gaston County, NC
29.7
31.8
80Nash County, NC
29.5
47.4
81Robeson County, NC
29.5
31.9
82Lee County, NC
28.5
35.9
83Caswell County, NC
28.4
59.6
84Richmond County, NC
28.1
32.8
85Washington County, NC
27.7
33.3
86Alamance County, NC
27.6
35.6
87Davidson County, NC
26.7
38.7
88Brunswick County, NC
26.2
45.9
89Mecklenburg County, NC
25.3
33.3
90Cumberland County, NC
24.9
25.9
91Lenoir County, NC
24.1
38.1
92Edgecombe County, NC
24
27.3
93Harnett County, NC
23.7
34.7
94Wayne County, NC
22.9
32.1
95Franklin County, NC
22.4
38.2
96Pasquotank County, NC
20.9
45.2
97Duplin County, NC
20.4
35.7
98Granville County, NC
20.4
39.6
99Sampson County, NC
20.4
36.3
100Wilson County, NC
15.4
29.4

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Best overall counties in North CarolinaFull Schools data on SchoolsByCounty